Improvement in automatic fire-alarm apparatus



r 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. ALLEN.

Fire Alarm.

No. 90,806 Patented June I. 1869.

In Veni'or:

N4 PETERS Piwmuzhugmqlun wamin tm n c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. v A. ALLEN.

Telegraphic Fire-Alarm.

No, 90,806. Patented June 1, 1869.

N. PETERS, Phalo-Lilhvgnlphen Washingnn. OIL

flair-1d Gtjliiirr.

ALEXANDER ALLEN, OF ROCHESTER NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 90,806, dated June 1, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC FIRE-ALARM APPARATQS The Schedule referred toin these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER Annex, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Automatic Fire-Alarms, or apparatusior automatically giving the alarmand number of signal-box in fire-alarm telegraphs; and I do herebydeclare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of myinvention, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, of which drawings- Figure l is an elevation of a signal-box,with outer and inner doors removed, as arranged with my lI l1- provedalarm.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the same, with both doors restored, andin their closed position.

Figure 3 is an elevation of my automatic alarm, taken separately.

Figure 4 is an elevation of segmental drive-wheel,

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view of the lower portion of thecircuit-breaker.

The nature of my invention consists in certain improvements in themechanicalconstruction of an apparatus, for use in signal-boxesoffire-alarm telegraphs, for the purpose of automatically giving thealarm of. fire and number of box at which the alarm is given, uponreceiving the proper impulse from the person wishing to give notice ofthe fire to the fire-department, which apparatus may, therefore, betermed an automatic fire-alarm.

The peculiar utility of my improved automatic alarm, consists in thegiving of a perfect alarm, even when actuated by the most inexperiencedperson, and the avoiding of all mistakesiu giving the number of the boxat which an alarm is sounded, whereby any loss of valuable time inrunning to a wrong box is avoided, the whole alarm being so constructedas to be readily applied to the old form of signal-boxes and apparatus,and used either independently of the former mode of giving an alarm bymeans of an ordinary telegraphic key, or in connection with said key,the key being used in this last case for the sending of ordinarymessages asbefore, or for the sounding of the alarm-signal wheneverdesired.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

The frame-plates 5 5, in which are arranged the holes or boxes for theaxles of the gear-wheels in my machine, are of brass or other suitablematerial, of the forms shown, part of the front plate 5 being brokenaway, in order to show the interior arrangement of machine, and areunited by the standards 32 32, as seen in figs. 1 and 3.

Between the plates, and near the lower part of the same, is arranged theshaft 38, on which are secured the segmental drive-wheel 13, of the formshown in fig. 4, and the crank 28, with rubber or ivory handle 29.

A circular box, 26, is secured to one of the plates 5, and in it iscoiled the flat spiral spring 27, one end of which is attached to thebox 26, and the other-end to the shaft 38, as shown, from which it isreadily seen that the spring 27 when wound up, acts, with a forcedepending on its elasticity, to cause a rotation of the shaft 38. f

The segmental drive-wheel 13, gears into the pinion 12, on the shaft 37,on which shaft are also scoured the ratchet-wheel 14, and thecircuit-wheel 17, and which also serves as a pivot to the gear-wheel 11.

This wheel, 11, is connected, bya pawl, 15, which is held downby spring16, to the ratchet-wheel 14, as seen in figs. I and 3, and gears intothe pinion 10, on the shaft 36, on which shaft is also secured the wheel9, which gears into the pinion S, on the shaft 35, on which shaft isalso secured the wheel 7, which gears into the pinion 6, on the shaft44, on which shaft is also secured the fan or fly .33, which thussenses, in a manner obvious to any mechanic, to regulate the mo tion'ofthe train of gearing.

The shafts 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, are pivoted in holes in the frame-plates5 5, in an ordinary manner.

A standard, 31, is secured in the front plate 5, and

on it is pivoted the circuit-breaker 4, as seen in figs.v

1 and 3.

A spiral spring, 30, is arranged around the standard 31, one end beingsecured to the plate 5, andrthe other end to the circuit-breaker 4, asseen in fig. 1, thus serving to keep the breaker 4 pressed up againstthe adj ustable screw 2, which is secured in a standard, 1, in the sideof signal-box, and which forms a part of the circuit, as will be shown.

In .the lower end of the breaker 4 is arranged the rod 21, having aslot, 22, cut therein, and an oblique-faced lower end, as seen in figs.3 and 5.

Aspiral spring, 24, is arranged in the hole in thebreakcr 4, and servesto keep the rod 21 pressed down, while a pin, 23, which passes throughthe breaker 4 and slot 22, serves to prevent the rod 21 from beingforced out too far by the spring 24,- as fully shown in The breaker 4 isso arranged as to hang over the/pins 18, 19, 20, which are arranged inthe face of the circuit-wheel 17 in a manner hereafter shown, so that byrevolving the circuit-wheel 17 from right to left, in fig. 3, the pins18, 19, 20, will strike against the square face of the rod 21, in thebreaker 4, and cause said breaker to rotate around the standard 31, thusbreak ing the circuit until the rod 21 slips ofi gI'OID the pins, whenthe spiral spring 30 will cause thegbr eaker 4 to assume its originalposition against the screw 2, thus closing the circuit again, but if thecircuit-wheel 17 beturned from left to right, the pins 18, 19, 20, willstrike againstthe oblique face of the rod 21, and thus raise the saidrod, allowing the pins 18, 19, 20, to pass the end of thecircuit-breaker 4, without moving the same, or affecting the continuityof the circuit.

The stops 25 25, are arranged on each side of the rear flame-plate 5,and serve to arrest the movements of the segmental drive-wheel13, aswill be readily seen in figs. 1 and 3.

The signal-box A, in which the alarm is to be placed, is of the generalform shown in figs. 1 and 2, and is provided with a door, 15, secured tothe box by hinges I), by means of which the lllStlllXl'iOlllJ may beclosed up.

The standards G and H, with binding-screws y and h, are arranged nearthe upper part of the box, and serve as a means of securing the ends ofthe main circuit-wire in the signal-box.

The standard L is secured in the box, as shown, and to it is secured oneend of the spring-key M, by means of screw I, as shown.

This key M has a bearing on the end of screw 7:, which is clamped byclamping-nut It, in any desired position in the standard K, which issecured in box A, as shown.

A standard, N, with steel point a, and standard J, with screw j andclamp-nntj, is arranged with refer ence to key M, as shown, and this keyM is provided with a steel point, m, which sets under the point at, instandard N, and an ivory or rubber handle or knob, 0, by means of whichit is operated.

The screws k and j serve to regulate the tension and play of the key M,in a manner readily seen.

The electro-magnetsxw, formed by coiling insulated wire around asoft-iron core, in the ordinary manner of constructing such magnets, aresecured on the standard Y, which is secured in-box A by screw 3 asshown.

A standard, Q, is secured in box A, as shown, and has the U-shapedportion 1% secured to it, in the inner and rear part of which isarranged the socket r, and the screw 7, with clamping-nut f, is securedin the front arm of the U, as seen in fig.

The leverS is provided with adouble pointed shaft, W, which ispivotedbetween the socket 'r and screw f, in the U-shaped arm R, as shown, andthe armature s is secured to it, as shown.

In the lower end of the lever S is drilled a hole, into which is securedthe rod T, by means of a screw, 5, and at the lower end of this rod issecured the ball U, through which passes the hammer-screw t, withclamping-nut,t.

A standard, P, with screw 0 and nut (l, is secured in the box A, at therear of lever S, and a spiral spring, c,is attached by a hook to thelever S, and to the end of the screw 0, the spring e thus serving todraw back the lever S, when thearmature sis released from the magnets ax, by the breaking of the circuit, and the nut d and screw 0 serving toregulate the tension of the spring 0. i

A standard,-I, is placed at the rear of the hammerscrew t, and a rod, V,is arranged to slide through a hole in this standard, and is clamped inany desired position by the screw 2', so that the sweep of thehammer-screw t may be regulated at pleasure, as is readily seen.

A metallic gong, F, of an ordinary form, is secured by a nut, 10, on astandard, which is so secured in the box A, so that when the lever S isdrawn up to the magnets x x, the hammer-screw t may strike the gong land thus make a tap-ring or signal,

A screw, Z, is arranged in the standard Y, as shown in red in figs. 1and 2, and has its front end bearing against an elastic plate, 2, whichis secured to box A, and has its front end in front of the armature s,and between the magnets :v a, so that by turning the SCIBWZ, by means ofthe large head on the outside of standard Y, the end of plate 2 may beforced forward, so as to prevent the hammer-screw t from striking thegong whenever desired.

' A partition, 0 D, is made inside the signal-box, and around themagnets xx and key M, anda door, 16, is lnmg by hinges a, inside theouter door B, a slot being cut in the partition-board D, to allow of theswinging of the hammer-rod T, shown, from which it is readily seen thatthe key M and magnets 90 90 may be closed up, so as to be inaccessibleto' persons who should only have access to the automatic alarm-portionofthcsignaLhoX. The course of the electric circuit through the box isindicated by blue lines, the current entering by the main circuit-wirethrough the standard G, and passing by an insulated wire to the standardN, thence through the pins n and m, and key M, to standard L; thencesound the alarm and number of the box three times in each case, to avoiddanger of error. The size of the pinion 12 and segmental drive-wheel 13,and the position of the stops 25 25, are so arranged as that the passingof the drive-wheel 18, from one stop, 25, to the other, shall causethree rotations of the pinion 12, and consequently of the circnit-wheellT.

If, now, we suppose an alarm to consist of twelve blows or taps on thegong in rapid succession, we arrange twelve pins, 18 18, on thecircuit-wheel 17, as seen in fig. 3. Then, leaving a considerable space,we arrange the four pins 19 19, as shown, leaving a longer space betweenthem' than was left between the pins 18 18, in order to insuredistinctness in the blows on the gong. Then, after leaving a long space,we arrange the three pins 20 20, as shown, the space between each ofthem being the same as that between the pins 19 19, and, as is readilyseen, a considerable space intervening between the last pin, 20, and thefirst pin 18.

If the signal-box is now supposed to be in the electrical circuit, andthe several parts to be in position shown, the balance of circuit beingunbroken, the magnets .T x will attract the armature s, and bring thehammer U t up to the gong F in this signal-box, as well as in a similarsignal-box at the engine-house.

1f now we draw the se mental drive-wheel 13 from its position againstthe stop 25, as shown in fig. 3, over against the other stop 25, bymeans of the crank 28 and handle 29, it is evident that by so doing, wedraw up the spring 27 and thus obtain power to set the train ofclock-work in motion as soon as the bandle 29 is released; and, further,that in drawing over the handle 29, no cfiect will be had on thecontinuity of the circuit, as the circuit-wheel 17 will revolve frontleft to right, and thepins 18, 19, 29, will rise and pass under the rod21, without moving the circuitbreaker 4, as hereinbei'ore shown.

Now the action of the spring .57 will cause the circuit-wheel 7 torevolve from right to left, so that every time one of the pins l8, 19,or 20, comes up and I passes the rod 21, it will revolve thecircuit-breaker 4,

as before. shown, and break the circuit by drawing the circuit-ln-eaker4 from the screw 2; and when said pin has passed the rod 21, the spring30 will bring back the breaker 4, thus closing the circuit, as beforeshown.

Now, at each breaking of tiiecircuit, the magnets a: x, in all thesignal-boxes in the circuit, lose their attractive .power, and allow thespring e to draw back the lever S, until stopped by the striking of thescrew t against the rod V, and at each closing of the circuit themagnets is a; draw the armature s, and consequently the levers S, up tothem, and thus cause the hammer-screw t to strike a blow on the gongF,.from

'following succession of blows and spaces, to wit,

twelve blows, space; four blows, space; three blows, space; or, in otherwords, will sound the alarm which we havecallcd 12, and give the numberof box, which we have considered as forty-three; and lastly, that thethree revolutions of the circuit-wheel 17, caused by the passing of thesegmental drive-wheel 13 from one stop, 25, to the opposite one, willsound three alarms and give the number of the box three times, which isthe object desired.

The manner of arranging the pins 18, 19, and 20, to produce differentalarms, and to designate a different number of box, is readily seen, asis also the manner of operating by the key M, instead of by theautomatic apparatus.

The handles D and 29 are made oi non-conducting material, to avoidshocks to the person giving the alarm, in case he is standing on theground, and the earth is used a part of the electric circuit.

The peculiar advantage-rcsulting from having the circuit-wheel 17revolve two or more times, and having the fire-signal pins 18 18interposed bet-ween the box-signal pins 19 19 and 20 20 is, that by suchrevolutions, the fire-signal is interposed between the signals givingthe number of the box, so that the liability to error, on the part ofthe attendant at the enginediouse, in getting the number of the box, ismaterially diminished, for it" no alarm-blows were given, but simply thesignal-blows indicating the number of the box, then we should have inthese revolutions of the circuitwheel 17, supposing to represent a blow,and a space, the following signals, 1 |l l l tl l ll i l l l l-l l l,and it the attendant did not hear the first blows, he could easilymistake box forty-three for thirty-tour, whereas if the circuit-wheel 17were arranged as shown in drawings, the three revolutions of thecircuit-wheel produce these signals: I l l l l i i l l l l l lllllllllllii'l'l|l|llillll!--lll l l l l l I l-l I l l-l l |,the twelvefire-signals being in rapid succession, while the four and threebox-signals would be given slower, from which it is readily seen that ifthe attendant did not get the number forty-three when first sounded, hehas only to wait until the alarm-signals are repeated, when the numberof the box will be repeated, and that he cannot possibly confuse the twobox-signals with each other, as in the previous case.

It is readily seen that the same succession of firealarm signals andbox-signals could be obtained by making the circuit-wheel 17 of twicethe length of circumference here shown, arranging a double seriesot'pins 18 18, 19 19, 2O 20: 18 18, 19 19, 20 20, on it in the orderindicated, and having the circuit-wheel revolved one and one-half time;or by having the circuit-wheel of three times the length ofcircumterence here shown, using a triple series of fire-alarm andboxsignal pins, and having the circuit-wheel revolve onc'e around, andthat various other changes in the general construction and arrangementof the circuit-wheel and pins might be made, the general principles ofconstruct-ion and operation remaining the same.

It is evident to any person skilled in the art, that the standards G H NJ K L Y I, and the automatic alarm, should be placed in or on suchmaterials as that they shall be insulated from each other, except by thecircuit-wires, as before showin It is also readily seen that notches inthe face of the circuit-wheel 17 might be used inplace of the pins 1819, 20, on its side, or that the pins 18, 19, 20, might be arranged onthe face instead-of on the side of the circuit-whcel 17, thecircuitbreaker 4 being arranged in these cases directly over the face ofthe circuit-wheel, instead of being at one side of it, as now shown.

It is also evident that, if desired, the magnets x x, key M, lever S,and gong l may be dispensed with at all signal-boxes, excepting the onein the enginehouse, the circuit in this case being direct from thestandard G to circuit-breaker 4, as is easily seen.

Having thus fully described the construction an application of myinvention,

What 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

1. The system of signalsfor fire-alarm telegraphs herein shown, composedof a series of rapid alarm: signals, and a series of box-signals, whenthe same are so used as that an alarm-signal is interposed between anytwo successive box-signals, substantially as and for the purpose hereinspecified.

2. So arranging a series of pins or notches on any circuit-wheel, usedin connection with a circuit-breaker, for the purpose of breaking thecircuit in a magnetic tire-alarm telegraph, substantially as hereinshown, as that two or more revolutions of said circuit-wheel shall causetwo or more alarm-signals, and two or more boxsignals, an alarm-signalbeing interposed between any two successive box-signals, substantiallyin the manner and for the purpose herein specified 3. So constructing anautomatic fire-alarm, and the circuit-wheel connected thereto, as thatsaid alarm shall first sound a fire-signal, then a box-signal, thenrepeat fire-signal, then repeat boimignal, and so on, substantially inthe manner and for the purpose herein specified.

4. The peculiar arrangement and combination of the segmental drive-wheel13, steps 25 25, pinion 12, shaft 37, and circuit-wheel 17, the severalparts being arranged substantially as and for the purpose hereinspecified.

. 5. The peculiar arrangement and combination of the crank 28, shaft 38,spring 27, segmental drivewheel 13, pinion 12, shaft 37, andcircuit-Wheel 17, the several parts being arranged substantially as andfor the purpose herein specified.

6. The peculiar arrangement and combination of the spring 27, shaft 38,segmental drive-wheel 13, pinion 12, shaft 37, with circuit-wheel 17,and ratchetwheel 14 thereon, gear-wheel 11, with pawl 15 and spring 16,gear-train 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, and shaft 35, with regulator 33 thereon, theseveral parts being arranged substantially as and for the purposespecified.

arranged therein, when used in combination with the circuit-wheel 17,having pins 18, 19, 20, or theirequivalents, arranged thereon, theseveral parts being arranged substantially as and for the purpose hereinspecified.

8. lhe peculiar arrangement and combination of the standard 1, havingone end of the main circuit attached thereto, the circuit-breaker 4having the other end of main circuit attached thereto, and the slidingrod 21 arranged therein, the circuit-wheel 17 'with pins 18, 19, 20,-ortheir equivalents, arranged thereon, the shaft 37, pinion 12, segmentaldrive-wheel 13, shaft 38, and spring 27, the several parts beingarranged substantially as aud for the purpose herein specified.

As evidence that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, inthe presence of two witnesses this .6th day of November, A. D. 1868.

ALEXANDER ALLEN.

Witnesses:

Gno. Ea, Rrrsoiu, J. H BIssnLL.

7. The circuit-breaker 4, having the sliding rod 21

